Kasumi stared up at the drab, white ceiling that contrasted all of the other walls in her room, which were painted a rather vivid shade of crimson.
Five year old Kasumi chose that specific color to match her hair, of course. But when they moved into this house, she was given the honors of painting her own room herself, and she decided that it was as difficult to paint the ceiling as it was unnecessary, given that she wouldn't be looking at it very often. And so it was that her room had these brightly painted sides, but also had the default white and grey ceiling that couldn't have been more unassuming if you tried.
Ten years later, as she lay on her bed staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, Kasumi was starting to regret the laziness that led to that decision.
...Two days.
It had been two days since her conversation with Dr. Maruki. Luckily, even though today was a Saturday, it was also a holiday; under normal circumstances, she still would've needed to go to school for half a day, but the holiday meant that she had the entire day off. So...she got to lay in bed, well into the afternoon, and contemplate her life decisions instead.
She had all the time in the world to think about just how dumb she had been for not realizing the true nature of this world.
The more she thought about it, the more obvious it was; she should've noticed so much sooner. After all, from the very beginning, everything felt a little off.
The truth was...Sumire was suffering.
This world was created out of Sumire's despair - all of her desperate emotions, which were the catalyst to the time shift, were leaking in subconsciously. They influenced the entire timeline, even reconstructing entire events to reflect her mentality. When framed like that, things started to add up.
Like Dr. Maruki said, the manifestation of Sumire's Palace was the result of her prominent desires that created this timeline in the first place. The time reversal was the desperation Sumire felt for ensuring her own survival, activated when she died a second time. Even the small things, like the change in the vice principal's behavior, might've been a result of Sumire's own negative experience with him and the unconscious desire to not interact with such an intimidating personality.
All of that, and more, showed that this entire world ran on her negative emotions. Even as Kasumi lay in bed, staring at this monotone ceiling, Sumire continued to feel the pain that was crushing her heart.
Yes - as long as this world existed, an embodiment and creation of those painful feelings that she harbored deep inside her heart...she would continue to feel those same feelings. She would continue to suffer, an end never in sight for the one who sacrificed everything in her desperate plea to right her misguided wrongs.
So in other words...there was just one thing left to do.
This world - it can't be allowed to exist. It can't continue on. ...Kasumi wouldn't let it.
In the end, there was only one choice that she could choose, after all. For the past two to three days, she had debated with herself for a while on what she wanted to do, and agonized over what would be the best choice - but this revelation had made the choice for her. There was no way that she would allow herself to continue living in this world, if it meant that Sumire had to continue to suffer at her expense.
That didn't make the actions needed to follow through on said choice any easier, however. She may have made a decision in her head, but the conviction needed to act upon it - that was a different thing altogether. There were so many things that she held dear in this world - she had finally started to feel like she could walk on her own two feet again.
...Was she ready to throw it all away?
"Haah…"
Temporarily pulling her eyes away from the sight of her ceiling, she put an arm over her eyes in resignation at the unending stalemate that she still had not found herself out of, albeit for a new and different reason.
Once again, she found herself not wanting to think about it. It was a little silly, but the more she struggled to come to terms with her situation, the more she felt like a coward for making her choice yet not being resolute enough to take that final step.
"Blurgh…"
In mild frustration, she rolled over and planted her face into one of her pillows, moaning into it defeatedly.
...Maybe she should sleep to procrastinate and put it off…
But just as she was having that thought -
"Kasumi?"
- there was a knock on her bedroom door, followed by her mom's voice.
"C-coming!" Kasumi said reflexively, lazily jumping off of her bed.
She opened the door to her mom's gentle smile, as welcoming and calm as ever.
"What is it?" Kasumi asked.
Her mom simply pointed towards the stairs, where the front door was.
"There's someone at the door who's asking for you," she explained. "Said that he was a friend of yours from Shujin."
"Geh," Kasumi slipped out. "It must be…"
In this scenario, it could've only been one person.
Well, two, if cats could count as one.
They had sort of let her be after she promised that she wouldn't disappear without telling them first, but it seemed like they still came to check up on her anyway.
What should she tell them, now that she had made her decision? ...She wasn't prepared for a conversation about that in the slightest, if she was being honest with herself.
Kasumi's mom frowned for the briefest of moments upon hearing Kasumi's immediate reaction, before affectionately patting her head encouragingly.
"Well, why don't you go answer the door, at least?" she suggested. "...You seem to be a little down lately. This might be a good change of pace."
"Ehhh? But…"
"He came all this way for you," she chided softly. "The least you can do is go say hi at least, no?"
"Hah...Yeah. I guess you're right," Kasumi eventually relented, with a slight, defeated pout. "...I'll go greet him."
Her mom nodded in apparent agreement at that answer, and disappeared further into the house without saying anything more.
Kasumi, steeling herself for the potential conversation to come, started to make her way downstairs to the living room. Halfway down the steps though, she realized she was still in her pajamas, and scrambled back up to change into something more presentable.
...She hoped Ren wouldn't be too angry about the long wait.
After changing into something that didn't give away the fact that she had been lying in bed all day, and combing her messy bedhead for longer than she would've liked to admit, Kasumi finally went downstairs and opened the door, the sunlight being the first to greet her. She reflexively put her hand over her eyes as she slowly got adjusted to the bright light.
When she took another look, one Ren Amamiya stood in front of her, a gentle smile on his face that would've given anyone the impression that he had only been standing in front of the house for 5 seconds, instead of 5 hours.
"Hey," he said casually, his smile ever present. "I know this is a little sudden, but do you want to go out for a picnic?"
"Huh? A...picnic?" Kasumi repeated, a little dumbfounded.
At her visible confusion, Ren flashed a small smirk that showed the other, more playful side to his gentle and amiable personality, before holding up the picnic basket that had been in his hand the entire time.
"I know a place," he chuckled, indicating for her to follow.
...
"You know, isn't it a little late in the day to be having a picnic?"
"Perhaps - it might be too late to call it a lunch."
Ren looked behind his back, a wry grin on his face. "But I'm sure you still have space in your stomach, no?"
"That's not the point, and you know it…" Kasumi pouted a little. He just always had to make a jab at her appetite, didn't he?
Ren laughed lightheartedly at Kasumi's expected response and turned his head back around, continuing to lead the way further into the park.
Currently, Ren was bringing her to Inokashira Park, the tranquil, little park that was actually only one stop away from her house. Despite the relatively close location to her house, Kasumi hadn't really been here that often aside from when she was a kid. Still though, it was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the rest of Tokyo.
She looked at Ren's back, who was currently leading her up one of the small hills that was present in the park. He was dressed in his casual clothes, with a white shirt, followed by a black coat and some simple jeans to top it all off.
Come to think of it, this was her first time seeing him in something other than a school outfit. Kasumi, too, had changed into a blue, polka-dotted blouse and a white skirt to complement it.
It was weird, but seeing him in something other than his school uniform really hammered home the point that they were hanging out outside of school hours, on their own accord. He had also mentioned that Morgana wasn't here today, as he was out investigating the cognitive world.
So it was just them by themselves, going on a picnic.
When she put all of those together, it almost felt like she and him were on a...
'Ah, no, what am I thinking?'
Immediately, she shook her head, tossing aside her silly notions and thoughts. It was just a casual picnic - there wasn't any deeper meaning behind it.
Despite that though, Kasumi had to admit that she was curious about what spurred him to ask her out for a picnic out of the blue.
"Here should be good."
But before she could go ahead and ask him about it, he turned around and put his picnic basket on the ground, choosing a nice, grassy clearing that was shaded by various trees around them. In one, swift motion, he pulled out a small quilt from within the basket, and spread it out on the grassy floor. He finished laying it out and sat down so fast, that Kasumi didn't even register that she had just been standing and watching him the entire time.
"Well, don't just stand there," he chuckled, patting the empty space next to him. "Come and sit with me. The food isn't going to eat itself, you know."
"Eh?" Kasumi let out. "O-oh, right, thanks…"
Snapping out of her inner thoughts, she quickly took his invitation and sat down on the quilt next to him. The quilt was a little small for two people, but not too tight that it was uncomfortable. Rather, Kasumi would've described it more as...cozy.
Upon sitting down, she took in a nice, deep breath of the fresh air that was present in the atmosphere. Perhaps it was just because she had just been indoors all day, but the air really did feel different here - it was almost like a small hideout, tucked away in the metropolitan city as a treasure for those who are lucky enough to discover it. ...She made a mental note to come here more often in the future.
Ren smiled at her briefly, before picking up the picnic basket and putting it in between them. In the process, he pulled off the top, revealing an array of assorted sandwiches inside.
"You hungry?" he asked invitingly, a proud smile present on his face. "Unfortunately, I figured curry wouldn't make for good picnic food, but I hope these taste good regardless."
Kasumi, upon setting her eyes on the various sandwiches in the basket, couldn't help but be slightly amazed. There were multiple sandwiches with numerous fillings on the inside - each and every one of them looking as delicately crafted as they looked delicious.
"Wow...Ren-senpai, you made these?"
Her eyes sparkled, and suddenly, she felt her appetite start to flare up, despite having only eaten lunch a couple of hours earlier. "I didn't know you were such a good cook."
"Save that for after you taste it," Ren chuckled, unable to suppress his laughter after seeing her complete personality shift when it came to food. "C'mon, feel free to pick whichever one you like."
...
The homemade sandwiches were, perhaps unsurprisingly, delicious.
Kasumi had never really been one to overly critique or notice the small intricacies of the food that she ate - after all, most food was good food to her, and it's not like her standards were particularly high. But as she ate the sandwich, she couldn't help but notice that it had an appetizing, yet not too strong of a flavor, which kept you wanting just a little bit more each time you took a bite. And pleasantly, the ingredients in the sandwich were light enough that she didn't feel bloated even though she already had lunch.
All in all, she would say that they were the perfect things to eat for an afternoon picnic. Before Ren had even gotten halfway on his first sandwich, Kasumi had found herself already reaching into the basket for a second.
As she ate, Kasumi took in her surroundings as she sat down on the grass, the park below her at the bottom of the small hill.
It was hard to describe the scenery before her as anything but pleasant and tranquil. A gentle breeze blew across the blades of grass, displacing and swaying her hair just the tiniest bit; the wind felt cool on her skin, and the temperature was just right for it to be comfortable. To her right, she could hear the faint sounds of birds chirping in the trees next to her - perhaps also celebrating the nice, spring day.
Down where the lake was, she saw a couple of people on small canoes, rowing happily around on the water surface. Even on the side of the lake, she saw a couple of kids running around and playing tag, seemingly without a care in the world.
Overall, the scene in front of her was so...peaceful. She almost didn't even really know what to do with it. The past couple of weeks had been so hectic, and she didn't really have time to think about anything else besides Sumire. But here she was, simply sitting in a park, enjoying a picnic and soaking up the nice atmosphere around her. It was honestly a little surreal, when she thought about it.
As she was thinking these thoughts that weren't like herself, the person sitting next to her spoke up, breaking the peaceful silence between them as they ate.
"How's the food?" Ren asked inquiringly, taking his last bite of his first sandwich.
"It's good - it's really good, actually," Kasumi genuinely praised. "Did you practice making them? There's no way I'll just accept that you made these on your first try, you know."
"Heh, you got me there," he replied. "Yeah, I've been practicing making them for a couple of days now. Morgana helped me refine the taste."
"It really shows," Kasumi said as she took another bite, relishing the flavor. "...I can tell that you've put a lot of work into this. Does that mean that you've been planning this picnic for a while, then?"
"Eh? Ah, well…" he trailed off, as if he suddenly realized that he said more than he should've.
"...Yeah," he eventually admitted. "To be honest, I've been wanting to hold a picnic for a while now."
"Really?" Kasumi blinked, a little confused. "Come to think of it, why did you ask me out to a picnic in the first place?"
"Well, to be honest, the reason is a little embarrassing…" he laughed a little. "Remember the other day at Big Bang Burger, where you talked about not being able to experience the simple, everyday things that a normal high schooler would experience? I figured...I would try to give you a little bit of that experience. It's not much, but I hope you're still enjoying yourself, at least. These past couple of days have been rough I'm sure, but right now, with this picnic in this park, you don't really have to think about anything else. We can just relax, and enjoy this nice day, I guess."
"O-oh…"
Kasumi could feel her cheeks flush a little at the fact that he remembered her say something so embarrassing.
It was an offhand remark that she had made, and she honestly didn't really think that much of it when she said it. After all, enjoying an ordinary day like this one was probably one of the last things that would've popped up in her mind, given all that had happened so far.
Still, the fact that he remembered, and did all of this for her...she really was lucky to have him as a friend.
It was true - this picnic really did feel really nice. Having this nice change of pace, just simply enjoying the nice breeze on this ordinary and unassuming day...Kasumi could get used to it. And she was thankful to Ren for being kind and thoughtful enough to prepare everything and let her experience it with him.
...But…
...It also made her just the tiniest bit sad, if she was being completely honest with herself.
Even as she enjoyed the scene unfolding around her, a gentle smile on her face...part of her, in the back of her mind, realized just what exactly it meant.
Despite Ren's words, where she didn't have to 'think about anything else'...the kindness that Ren afforded to her only made her that much more acutely aware of the choice that she had silently made without him.
This scene couldn't continue.
As much as she would've liked to enjoy sitting on this hill with Ren forever, taking in the gentle breeze with the ambient noises of birds chirping in the background...she couldn't. To Kasumi, that line of thinking was too dangerous. She couldn't afford to get used to it.
There was so much beauty in this world - but that beauty covered up the pain that constructed the interior. And for every day that she sat around like this, it was also another day where Sumire continued to suffer.
For the first time though, even though that realization left her feeling just the tiniest bit bittersweet...she was surprisingly okay with that.
When that resigned thought entered her head, it didn't leave her with that same sense of anxiety that it always had when she previously thought about it.
...It was odd. These past couple of days, she had been struggling to find the resolve to take that final step. But as she sat on the grass, her hair blowing in the breeze at Inokashira Park...the dread that was always present had seemingly been blown away by the wind as well.
There was nothing particularly spectacular or special about the scene before her. And yet, she truly did feel that way, despite that fact; no - perhaps it was because of that fact.
She looked to her left, where Ren was looking out towards the lake in a relaxed manner, taking a bite out of his tuna sandwich. It was such an ordinary sight...but to Kasumi, it felt extraordinary just being able to experience it in the first place.
'Ah...I see now.'
And suddenly, while she watched Ren...it clicked.
"Dr. Maruki, how would you define 'happiness'?"
For the first time, Kasumi felt like she truly understood what he had meant.
This was what he meant by 'content'.
All this time, she had been silently struggling to justify these past couple weeks of distress.
She had been thrust into this unknown world, alone in her memories, with a burden too heavy for her to bear.
She had trudged this path full of thorns, been scratched and bruised, only to reach the unsatisfying end that she secretly was resentful against.
But...maybe that was the wrong way to look at it.
Maybe that wasn't the thing she should be taking away from this world.
This extra time that she had been afforded on this Earth - all of the factors that culminated to this very point, and everything that let her see this simple, everyday scene - it was, in fact, a gift.
It was a gift to simply just be here, enjoying a picnic with Ren, in the first place.
Why hadn't she realized it sooner?
It may have only been a short couple of weeks, but in that time, she had been able to experience things that she had never experienced before.
She felt the pain and despair when she was lost and alone.
She felt the joy and laughter that came with making new friends.
She felt the resolve and determination when she decided her own fate.
And now...she felt the peace and serenity that came with simply just being alive.
All of those feelings, and more - that was the gift that Sumire had afforded to her. These were the new experiences that made the hole in her heart tiny in comparison. They were what made her realize that she was content with what she had.
And at the end of this long journey - they were the things that would give her the strength to take that last, final step.
Being able to experience this for herself - sitting on this hill, with Ren by her side...it was enough.
"...Thanks, Ren," she expressed genuinely, without the playful tone that usually came by adding the 'senpai' after his name.
Her extra time that had been afforded to her as a consequence of this world was coming to an end. But despite that fact, she was happy.
And so, she simply gave Ren a soft smile, no longer burdened by the weight of choice.
"Eh? Why so serious, all of a sudden?" he asked in a lively fashion. "Don't worry - the picnic wasn't that big of a deal."
"Not just the picnic - for everything, I mean," Kasumi responded. "Thank you for it all. These experiences will be my treasured memories."
"…"
...And only now, did he catch on to what Kasumi was trying to tell him. When he realized the meaning under those words, the smile and lighthearted manner that was on his face quickly faded.
"...This is only the start, you know?" he tried, the slightest hint of desperation present in his voice. "We still have so much left of high school to experience. We'll make many more memories after this, too."
"That would be like a dream come true, if that were the case," Kasumi nodded softly.
"And it doesn't have to be a dream!" Ren pressed a little harder. "C'mon, I know you liked the sandwiches I made today, right? We can make our picnics a regular thing. I'll even invite Morgana to the next one, too. What do you say? Next weekend?"
"Thank you for the offer, Ren - really. But unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to make it."
"Oh - are you busy already?" he tried again, the desperation in his voice growing more apparent. "It's fine, we can find another time that works. How about -"
"It's okay, Ren," she gently soothed, cutting him off.
"It's not okay!" he let out, a rare hint of emotion present in his voice. "There's still so much more to do! There's the ferris wheel at Odaiba Seaside - it's really pretty at night! Or the Sky Tower in Asakusa - I've heard that we have to see the breathtaking view at the top for ourselves. Of course, there's always Destinyland...let's see, what else, what else…"
Before he could start listing off more places, though, Kasumi reached over and gently placed her hands on top of his.
"!"
Upon feeling her hands, he looked over at her and made eye contact. Kasumi could clearly see the anguish in his eyes that he was trying to hold back, yet he still searched her eyes with his own, trying to find some semblance of hope that he was just mistaken - that she would change her mind.
But Kasumi simply just shook her head bittersweetly.
"..."
...And with that one, simple motion, the small flicker of hope that Ren desperately held onto was lost.
His head slowly dropped, and he wore one of the most crestfallen expressions that she had ever seen on him.
"Kasumi...why?" he asked, utterly defeated.
"...I'm sorry, Ren," Kasumi genuinely expressed. "I really am. I know I'm asking for the impossible...but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
That apology, perhaps more than anything else, made Ren's shoulders deflate even further.
"...Is there nothing I can do to change your mind?" he asked, after a couple of moments.
"I've made my choice," Kasumi replied empathetically, shaking her head again. "I've thought about it for a while…and this is still the conclusion I reached."
"But…"
He trailed off before he could finish his sentence, pain apparent in his voice as he struggled to find what to say.
Kasumi hadn't known Ren for very long, but she knew what kind of person he was. ...She knew how much of a kind person he was. He must've had a million things that he wanted to say, but he was trying his best to hold them back, for her sake. So that she wouldn't be pressured. ...So that he wouldn't be selfish.
And so, they sat in silence, nothing more to say to the other. Ren, with his trembling fists at his powerlessness to do anything more, and Kasumi, with her hands on top of his to comfort him.
While sitting in this silence for what felt like forever, Kasumi absentmindedly looked out towards the lake again, only to find that the sun was beginning to cast an orange shadow over the reflection of the lake. Time had seemingly passed by so fast; the sun was already setting. Soon...it would be nighttime.
The change in time and light level suddenly gave Kasumi an idea.
"Say, Ren-senpai…"
"?"
He looked up, giving her an inquiring look.
Given that this park was only a couple of minutes from her house, getting to that location would only take around 40 minutes. Adding that, plus the time it took to climb...it should just be enough.
Kasumi gave Ren a small smile, before suggesting something that seemingly came out of left field.
"Would you like to join me for a hike?"
...
"...Hey, haah...are we almost there yet?"
"Almost! The top should be just around the corner!"
Kasumi energetically called back to Ren, who was lagging a couple of paces behind her on their nighttime mountain climb. By the time they had gotten off of the metro, the sun had already set. And now, only half an hour into their hike, it was basically dark out.
Luckily, the moon was out today, so it was illuminating the rocky path up to the summit. Using that as their light source, they were still able to climb without too many issues.
"Don't tell me you're tired, Ren-senpai?" Kasumi teased a little. "Compared to Sumire's Palace, this is nothing!"
"Hardly," he retorted back. "But it's a little hard to see where I'm going, so I'm going slower than usual. In any case, why're we up here anyways? You still haven't told me yet."
"Hehe, you'll see! C'mon, we're almost there!"
Kasumi followed the path left as the trail hugged the hill, and she slowly but surely spiraled upward towards the top. Eventually, after a few more minutes of walking, the path straightened out, and she saw the familiar bump that indicated the summit.
Speeding up a little, she ran over the crest of the peak, and into the summit clearing. As soon as she did, she looked up, almost reflexively.
Despite seeing it once before, she still caught her breath at the sight that greeted her at the top.
The endless array of stars twinkled down on her, shining brilliantly in the darkness as if proclaiming their existence from the void. No matter how many times she laid eyes on this landscape...Kasumi didn't think she would ever get tired of it.
"...Wow…"
And apparently, she wasn't the only one. Turning around, she found Ren right behind her, his eyes glued to the stars above, and his face illuminated by the pale moonlight.
"...Pretty, right?" Kasumi said softly.
"Yeah - I've never seen a sight like this before," Ren murmured, not taking his eyes off it. "It's absolutely mesmerizing. You would normally never get to see something like this in Tokyo."
"I'm glad you like it," Kasumi smiled. "This was sort of my small little treasure that I found during my time here. ...I'm glad I was able to share it with you, before the end."
"...Before the end, huh…?"
Upon hearing that line, Ren slowly looked back down, and locked eyes with Kasumi. With the moonlight in his face, she could see that the awe that was previously in his eyes was now gone, replaced by waning determination now that he was facing her.
"Hey, listen, Kasumi...won't you please reconsider - at least for a little while?" he pleaded, gesturing towards her. "There might yet be another way - Morgana is searching for one as we speak! The chances might be low, but as long as there's a possibility, we won't stop looking! So please - just give us a little bit of time."
He pleaded for more time - to maintain this current status quo. But Kasumi knew - things couldn't continue on. It wasn't right. For every day that she let this world be, it would be another day that Sumire continued to suffer.
"...I'm sorry, Ren," Kasumi shook her head regrettably. "But I don't think there can be any other way than this - so I've made up my mind. ...I'm going back - back to the original timeline."
"But you would be throwing your life away!" he objected. "How can you be okay with that?! I can't accept it...there has to be another way…"
Upon finishing that thought, he grasped his left arm with his right hand and looked away, his body language giving away his discomfort.
"...How about...how about we revisit Dr. Maruki's method?" he proposed, almost desperately. "I know you don't like it, and I don't either, but...maybe we should reconsider it. At the very least, it'll be a world where you can live!"
Kasumi, despite the tense situation, smiled bittersweetly at the sight. Ren was very clearly against Dr. Maruki's morals and ideals; but even if every fiber of his being rejected those ideals, he was willing to toss it all aside, if it meant assuring that she could have a future.
But unfortunately, she also knew that she couldn't do that. After all...
"...Thank you for worrying so much for me," she replied, "but I can't do that either. Because, you see - I've figured it out."
"What? Figured what out?" he asked.
"The secret behind this world, Ren-senpai - that's what," Kasumi explained, as she nodded knowingly.
"...Hey, tell me - how did you meet Morgana, again?"
"Huh? Where is this coming from, all of a sudden?" Ren asked, slightly confused.
"I'm just curious! C'mon, tell me!"
"Well, I met him in the cognitive world, of course."
"Hmm, I see. And whose Palace were you in during that time?" Kasumi pressed a little further. "Is that where you awakened your Persona? And where you learned about stealing treasures?"
"Eh? Uhm…"
Ren, momentarily stunned due to the barrage of questions, racked his brain hard for an answer. But as he continued to scour his memory, his brows only furrowed deeper and deeper, signaling the futility of the action.
"...I don't remember," he admitted. "Or rather...it's like I don't know…"
Kasumi nodded, as she guided him towards the answer.
"I figured as much; I always thought it was weird how you knew about stealing treasures, despite never doing it before - but now, I think I know why. The truth is, I found out that this world - it's imperfect. When Sumire created this timeline from the old one, her unconscious feelings changed and warped the very construction of it. That's why there are things that feel out of place. They were changed by her emotions, or left from the remnants of the old timeline."
"So you're saying, her timeline shift even has the power to alter memories and personalities?" Ren extracted, slightly in disbelief.
"She's changing the very fabric of reality, you know," Kasumi reminded. "And when she did so - who knows what other memories she's taken from you? Who knows what experiences she's erased, or will erase, and whose fates she's entirely rewritten when they never asked for them to be? Having the power to uproot entire lives and warp the very nature of the world...I can't do that, Ren. Conducting another timeline shift for my selfish wishes, and mine alone - that's just one of the many reasons why I can't accept Dr. Maruki's methods. ...And it's also another reason why I need to reverse the original shift."
"But that's not...none of that is your fault, or your responsibility to bear," Ren objected. "Those sins and those burdens - you don't have to answer them! Regardless of who decided what in the past, you're here now, alive!"
He dug his fingers into his palm, trying his best to convince her with his words.
"Kasumi, I know it's tough in your position, but...you deserve the right to be selfish, you know? You deserve the right to say that you want to live. It's okay to understand all that Sumire has done, and still choose to be alive anyways. After all that you've gone through...no-one would blame you for choosing that."
"I understand that," Kasumi nodded. "But I still want to go back, of my own volition. Don't get me wrong - I'm not doing it out of a sense of obligation or anything. I'm also changing the timeline back for my own personal reasons."
She turned her body to the right, looking down at the various lights that made up the metropolitan Tokyo skyline.
"...Hey, Ren-senpai, let me ask you another question. When you gave me a codename, why did you name me 'Violet'?"
"Why, you ask?" he said, frowning a little as he tried to remember. "I'm not sure, honestly. The name immediately popped up in my mind, and it seemed to fit, I guess. Why?"
"Hehe - and judging by your reaction, I'm guessing that you don't know the translation for it, either?" Kasumi giggled a little. "Well, it's okay - I only recently learned what it means as well. You see - the name 'Sumire' means 'Violet' in Japanese.
"!"
"Starting to get the picture? I'm guessing that it wasn't a mere coincidence," Kasumi pointed out. "If you ask me, it wasn't your free will that gave me that name and decided that it was appropriate, but rather, the will of the world itself."
"..."
"And that's not all, either. Remember what Dr. Maruki said to me in the Palace? He said that my rebel's outfit was exactly like Sumire's. Don't you see? On the outside, Sumire told herself that she needed to sacrifice herself. That the only way out for her was to change fate, as indicated by her Palace. And in her mind, she was desperate to make that wish come true. But…"
She painfully clutched her blouse with her right hand, over her chest.
"The fact that I was given similar attributes to her - it shows that somewhere, deep inside her, there was a part of her that wanted to live, despite the choice that she felt she had no choice but to turn to. And those feelings - they took on my form. In this world - I'm the replacement for her, and the embodiment of those subconscious desires of hers. I'm the one who's holding her deepest, most intimate desires to be alive. And I...I want to answer those feelings, as small and miniscule as they are. I want to help her realize these hidden feelings and let them blossom, until they break the chains of despair that bind her heart. Those are my true feelings - they're my most important reason for why I want to go back."
"..."
For a moment, there was no response from Ren. Kasumi continued to look at the shifting lights down in the city below - a sight that she most likely wouldn't see ever again.
"...Even then…"
But then, Ren spoke up, and she looked back at him. He was biting his lip, struggling to figure out what to say, avoiding eye contact.
"Even then - I still can't accept it," he stubbornly resisted. "You deserve the right to live as much as she does! If you end up reversing the timeline, would you not be doing the same thing that Sumire did? You said you didn't want to erase everything that had happened; are you really okay with making all of this - making who you are now - disappear?!"
Kasumi nodded briefly, as if having thought the same things before.
"...Right. It would seem like that, wouldn't it? But you see, Ren - it's not the same."
"Wha?"
She folded her hands together in a prayer motion, and looked at them bittersweetly.
"Sumire - she did what she did because she felt she had no other option. She did it out of hopelessness and despair," Kasumi said. "That was what her sacrifice was based on. But that's not true for me. I'm doing this out of love and hope for my sister. I'm doing so with the hope that she'll be able to experience a brighter and happier future, because I want that for her."
"...!"
"And besides...I'm not erasing anything at all.
"You're right, in the sense that I have every right to live as much as Sumire does. And in some ways, it is a hard decision for me - I don't necessarily want to die, either."
And then, despite her words - Kasumi started to smile.
"But you know what? I'm glad!" she declared contentedly. "I'm glad that this decision is hard - because it shows that there are things that I want to hold onto! I'm happy that I have this ache in my heart, and that I don't want to leave this world behind, because it means these past couple of weeks held meaning for me! It means that I made good friends that I don't want to let go of, and experiences that I'll never want to forget! But you know what, Ren? All of the things I've experienced along the way, all of the people I've met - you, Morgana, and even Dr. Maruki - they've also given me the courage and resolve to take this last step. Without everything that happened before...I wouldn't be where I am today, able to happily pass off this torch of life without regrets!"
"You're...happy?" Ren asked, in disbelief.
"I am!" Kasumi eagerly nodded. "Because I realize now, with where I am - having the option of choice is no longer a burden - it's a privilege. By being able to specifically choose to go back, it would mean that my life, and my choices, have meaning. Don't you see? The choice that I make right here, right now, with my prior experiences shaping that decision - that will be the proof of everything I experienced here! If Sumire can live happily - then the significance of this world, and my life, will never die! It will serve to say that there was a reason that this timeline, and I, existed!"
She lifted her hands to the sky, to the numerous stars that watched over her and the life she chose to live. By now, Kasumi was struggling to hold back the tears that were forming in her eyes.
"The world, the stars - they will remember me for my decision to give Sumire a chance to move forward! And by doing so, this fleeting moment will be forever immortalized in time; to these stars, this moment will just be a tiny speck in their lives - but even then, they will still know that I lived!
"...So, Ren - don't think of this as erasing all that came before me!" she exclaimed happily, tears rolling down her face as she clutched her heart. "This is the sum of my experiences here, and the product of my dreams yet to happen! It's simply writing the last chapter in my story, so that Sumire's can continue!"
"...!"
Slowly, hesitantly...Ren reached his hand out, to the girl that was standing before her.
"..."
...But before he could fully reach out, he slowly retracted it, and brought it back to his side.
Somehow, he just knew - it was futile. She had flown far away, to a place now where he would be unable to reach her.
He could do nothing. He could say nothing.
In his moment of weakness, as he struggled to hold back his own tears, Ren could do nothing but be absolutely stunned by the proud girl who had made her choice.
He wasn't stunned at the fact that she was strong; no, he could tell - she was no doubt still scared for what was to come. She didn't consider herself strong.
But it was the fact that she stood there regardless, weak and frightened as she may be, and was still able to confidently make her choice with a genuine smile on her face.
The girl, who despite the fears, doubts, and hesitation that she no doubt still held, still chose to pick her love for her sister above all else.
And it was at this moment, with nothing but the stars and the moon to bear witness to the two before them...that Ren knew he had truly been defeated.
He looked away regrettably, knowing that there was now no longer anything that he could do.
"...There's no way I can forgive you for making this decision, you know," Ren expressed painfully.
"I know I'm asking for the impossible...but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
Kasumi smiled a little sadly upon remembering her words.
"...Yeah, you're right," she said to him, with just a twinge of sadness. "That would be asking for a lot, huh?"
"It would - it was selfish of you to ask that, you know? There's no way I can do that."
"...Yeah."
"There's no way...I can forgive you," he repeated again painfully, the moonlight highlighting the tears that were now forming on his face. "I'll never be able to forgive you...but…"
He turned around slowly, so that Kasumi couldn't see his face anymore.
"...I'll never forget the stars that you showed me."
"!"
...And right away, Kasumi knew what he meant.
"I'll never forget you."
She walked over to Ren, and gave him a hug from behind.
"...Thank you, Ren," she smiled from the bottom of her heart. "...For accepting my decision."
He would never forgive her - he would never forgive her for choosing her sister over herself. But he would accept that decision, as much as it pained him to do so.
...And to Kasumi, that was enough.
"...Idiot," he said, choking up.
As the stars twinkled down on them, remembering this moment for all of eternity, Kasumi silently embraced Ren from behind, him breathlessly weeping at his defeat.
...
"Hey, Ren-senpai...will you be okay?" Kasumi asked with slight concern, five minutes later.
Presently, they were sitting down on the grass in the summit clearing. They had decided to sit and rest their legs for a bit, when it became clear that they would probably be sticking around on the peak for a little while longer.
"Yeah, I'll be okay…" he said, as he finished wiping the last of his tears on his face. "Sorry you had to see me like this; it doesn't happen very often."
"You're telling me," Kasumi replied earnestly. "I never thought there'd be a day where I'd see you cry."
"Well, sorry I'm such an emotionless person," Ren grumbled.
"Pfft! No, it's not like that, Ren-senpai," Kasumi stifled a small laugh. "You just always seem so ...reliable, you know? Like you always have everything under control."
"Unfortunately, I am neither omnipotent, nor infallible," he huffed a little.
"Hehe, sorry, sorry," she laughed softly, not able to hold it in this time.
The conversation slowly died down between the two, as they looked down at the city below them. For a moment, that momentary silence held, but Ren eventually brought up the question that was on both of their minds.
"So...what're you going to do now?" he asked.
"Hmm...right…" Kasumi pondered for a second. "All that's left is to just steal Sumire's treasure and undo the time shift, I suppose. Would you mind accompanying me to the Palace one last time tomorrow? And bring Morgana too, if you can."
"Agh, I totally forgot about Morgana…" Ren said dreadfully, cupping his head with his hands. "He's gonna kill me for failing to convince you…"
"Aha, sorry, Ren-senpai," Kasumi said a little sheepishly. "Give him my apologies, if you can."
"Nah - you can give it to him yourself," Ren shook his head. "I'll bring him with me tomorrow, even if I have to drag him out."
"...Right. Thanks."
Ren took a deep breath, before asking one final question.
"Hey, Kasumi - it feels almost futile to ask at this point...but are you absolutely certain about this? You've completely decided?"
"Yeah," she simply responded. "I'm absolutely certain."
"...I see. Then I won't say anything more."
"Thank you," Kasumi expressed gratefully. "But also, on that note, I would like you to promise me one thing, if you can."
"Hm? What is it?"
She looked over to him with serious eyes, an indication that whatever it was, it was not a promise to be made lightly.
"This is a selfish request on my part, I know…" she prefaced. "But after I revert the timeline, I would like you to be a friend to Sumire. Like you were there for me when I needed you most - I want you to be there for Sumire at her lowest point. And in that way, by having that support, it is my hope that she will go down a different path; I hope she will emerge on the other side as someone who is able to smile again."
"...That is indeed quite a selfish request to make me promise," he noted.
Kasumi smiled a little, as if understanding how much she was asking out of him, but still proceeding to do so anyways.
"Remember you promised that you would repay me one day?" she gently reminded. "I'm invoking that promise now. And besides - you were the one who taught me to rely on my friends when the burden is too tough for me alone, right? Unfortunately, I won't be around to help Sumire after my own death - so I'll need you to help."
"Heh - that's kind of heavy handed, don't you think?" Ren said with slight exasperation. "It's hard to promise that - after all, I most likely won't even have my memories from this timeline."
Even saying that, though, he still nevertheless gave a smile back to Kasumi, his confidence unwavering.
"...But very well. I promise."
"Thanks, Ren-senpai. But don't worry," Kasumi replied, with a bright smile. "Things like Sumire's past memories were able to seep over from the previous timeline, right? I'm sure, in much the same way, your memories and feelings will be able to cross worlds."
"! Come to think of it, you're right…
"So I'll remember the things from this timeline, huh…?" he said to himself. "That's a relief...Truly."
On that optimistic note, Ren slowly got up from where he sat, taking a last look at the stars above him for now.
"Well, it's getting late," he said, extending a hand to her. "We should start heading back down."
"Yeah...yeah, you're right," Kasumi agreed, taking his hand gratefully.
"..."
But even after she got up, Kasumi still held onto Ren's hand, with both of her own.
"? Something wrong?" Ren asked, upon noticing that she wasn't letting go.
"Uhm...can I ask for another selfish request?"
Kasumi wasn't sure what came over her, to be perfectly honest.
"What is it?"
"It can be just until we get to the bottom of the mountain," she said timidly, the light blush on her cheeks hidden in the darkness. "It doesn't have to be for any longer. But until then...can we hold hands?"
She wasn't sure if it was the very real fear of falling down the mountain again, or something else entirely - but right now, she didn't want to let go of this hand...the warmth that she was grasping in front of her.
"...Of course we can."
And Ren, for his part, accepted it without question.
…
Kasumi awoke to a beautiful day.
The first thing she realized as she opened her eyes lazily was that there was sunlight streaming onto her face, coming from the window.
Normally, Kasumi was disciplined enough to wake up early; she had to rouse her sister, who was definitely not a morning person, after all.
In other words, the sun never really reached a point high enough where it would shine onto her face. But today, she allowed herself the luxury of sleeping in.
She figured she deserved at least that much, at least.
Taking a look at her alarm clock by her bedside, she saw that it was around 10 AM. She had agreed to meet with Ren at Shujin around noon; despite it being a Sunday and there not being any school today, it still felt best to meet up there, as they were both familiar with traveling to the cognitive world from there. It also meant that she still had two hours to get ready and commute there. Plenty of time.
Hopping out of bed, she got dressed in her everyday, casual clothes, did her everyday, normal morning routine, and bounded down the stairs for her everyday, typical breakfast.
It was a beautiful day today - but it also happened to be a normal, unassuming, and perfectly ordinary day.
'Oh yeah - since it's a Sunday, that means…'
When she got down to the first floor of her house, she heard the faint sound of the TV in the living room, and smelled something nice wafting in from the kitchen.
Her parents were home.
Normally, her parents would be out before she even left for school in the mornings, as they both had long commutes. Today though, they got to enjoy company with the rest of their family on their day off.
"Oh, Kasumi, you're awake? You usually don't sleep in this late, do you?"
Kasumi's dad looked over his shoulder at her as she got down from the stairs, his wry and gentle smile ever present on his face.
"Hehe, sorry, Dad," Kasumi replied sheepishly. "I was pretty tired yesterday."
"I bet - you've been coming home pretty late these days," her mom said, walking in from the kitchen. "Are you going out today, too?"
"Ah...yeah, I am."
"So busy, huh?" her mom huffed, an exasperated smile on her face. "Well, at least sit down and eat some breakfast first. It's almost ready."
...
As Kasumi took a sip of her mom's miso soup, she thought that there was simply nothing that could beat homemade cooking.
She wasn't sure if she was just imagining it, but the miso soup tasted extra good today. Before she knew it, she was already asking her mom for seconds. Despite so many things changing around her, the one thing that held absolute resilience really did have to be her appetite.
As she drank her second helping of soup, she took the time to observe the scene around her.
Any way she looked at it, the day had gotten off to the most ordinary start that Kasumi could have possibly imagined. Here she was sitting at the dining table with her parents eating breakfast, her dad lazily reading his newspaper, and her mom looking at something on her phone.
To her parents, it must've seemed like an ordinary day to them as well. There was no way for them to know what the future had in store for them, or what fate would bring to their table, after all.
They had no idea that this one day, out of all of the normal, ordinary days, would be her last.
While having these thoughts, it suddenly occurred to Kasumi that it must've been the same on that day as well. They had no idea that on that day, Sumire would disappear from their lives.
"..."
"Hey Mom, Dad?" Kasumi suddenly brought up, breaking the comfortable silence between them all.
"Hm? What is it?" her dad asked, looking up.
"Do you guys...do you miss Sumire?" Kasumi asked timidly.
Her parents immediately gave each other a concerned look. Clearly they weren't very comfortable with talking about it; they had tried their best to avoid bringing up the topic of Sumire in front of her, after all.
"...Of course we do, dear," her mom eventually replied, after a couple of seconds. "We miss her everyday."
"Do you ever wish that you could change the past and bring her back?"
Her dad blinked, as if not expecting this question, but quickly regained his composure.
"Change the past, you say?" her dad asked. "Hmm…even if I had that power - I don't think I would."
"Eh?" Kasumi let out, rather surprised. "Why not?"
"Well, if I did, who knows what would happen?" he pointed out. "I would love for nothing more than for Sumire to be with us, alive and well...but you and your mom are still here. ...That is all I can ask for."
"!"
"Your dad's right, Kasumi," her mom added. "...We miss Sumire dearly - but we still have you. That gives us the strength to keep on going. We wouldn't trade that for the world."
"..."
She wasn't sure what she was expecting - their answers were to be expected, after all.
But still, the way they said it - she could feel the all too familiar feeling forming behind her eyes.
Ah...She was so dumb.
She asked a question that might've made her break down in front of her parents.
She would have to hold back her tears - it was such a beautiful and ordinary day.
But at the same time, it reminded her that there was still one more thing that she had to say before she left.
"Thank you, Mom, Dad - I cherish you from the bottom of my heart, as well…" she expressed sincerely. "...I love you both."
Her parents looked at each other again, still a little confused by where the conversation was going. But they quickly turned back to her afterwards, bright and warm smiles on each of them.
"We love you too, Kasumi."
...
By the time Kasumi finished her breakfast, she looked at the clock on the wall - it was already 11:15. It was probably time to get going.
"Well, I'd best be off," Kasumi said in a heartened manner, standing up from the table. "I don't want to keep my friend waiting."
"Alright - take care, dear," her mom replied softly.
"Will you be back for dinner?" her dad asked, as Kasumi made her way to the door and started to put on her shoes. "If you will be, I'll be sure to prepare something for you when you get back."
"Eh? I…"
"..."
"...Yeah," she eventually settled on, with a small smile. "...I'll be back."
"Great - have a safe trip, then," her dad nodded lovingly.
And with that final farewell, she opened the door and stepped outside, the dazzling sunlight greeting her.
When Kasumi made her way onto the street, she made sure to turn around and look back at her house...for what would be the last time.
'...Sorry, Mom, Dad.'
She forced herself to look away, and started making her way to the train station, no longer able to hold back her tears.
'That will be the first and last lie that I've ever told you.'
...It was a beautiful and ordinary day.
But that beautiful and ordinary day was graced with just slightly more tears than usual.
...
When Kasumi got off at the Aoyama-Itchome station and walked into the backstreets bordering Shujin, she was surprised to find that Ren was already there waiting for her.
She wasn't even late - in fact, she was ten minutes early. ...Kasumi wondered how long he had been here waiting.
Before she could fully walk up to him and ask though, he looked up and gave her a greeting with a small wave.
"Hey," he said casually. "Glad to see that you've made it."
"You as well," Kasumi responded, walking up to him.
It was right then when she got closer, that she noticed that Morgana was there too; he was half hiding, half sulking behind Ren's legs, so she didn't see him at first.
"...Hi, Morgana. Good to see you," she tried, bending down a little.
"...Yeah," he simply replied, in a prompt manner.
"Uhm...I'm assuming Ren told you already?"
"...Yeah."
"Aha...I'm sorry, Morgana," Kasumi said a little sheepishly, not quite sure how to respond. "Sorry that I made this decision without asking you first."
"Hmph, you better be," Morgana said in a sulking manner.
"C'mon, Morgana, don't be like that…" Ren soothed. "You promised that we would see her off with a smile, right?"
"I mean, we did, but…"
For the first time today, he turned his head to face Kasumi. After a few seconds of locking eyes with her, he exhaled loudly.
"Hah...you're right," he gave in. "Sorry."
His expression turned serious, as he gauged for himself the intensity of Kasumi's resolve.
"I already heard from Ren yesterday, but I wanted to hear you say it yourself. ...Are you really going to revert the timeline?"
"I am," she nodded, unwavering.
"Do you really have to go so far?" Morgana tried. "Shouldn't we think about it a little more?"
"I've thought about it a lot already, and this is what I've decided on. ...I'm prepared."
"..."
"...Alright," he finally relented. "Since you're so adamant about it...I'll respect your wishes."
Upon hearing those words, Kasumi bent down and patted him affectionately, happy with his acceptance.
"...Thank you, Morgana. That means a lot."
He abruptly turned away after her words of appreciation, as if to hide his embarrassment.
"A-ahem - anyways! We should hurry up and go to the cognitive world. We don't have all day, you know."
With that sudden declaration, he made his way around the corner of a building and disappeared into an alleyway, presumably implying to go into the cognitive world from there.
But before Kasumi could take a step to follow him, Ren walked up to her and whispered softly into her ear.
"Sorry about Morgana - he's just being shy," he said softly. "He was actually really upset over it last night and couldn't sleep. ...But you didn't hear that from me."
He gave her a small wink, before disappearing around the building as well.
'...Geez, those two.'
Despite the situation, Kasumi couldn't help but give a smile from the bottom of her heart.
She was glad that out of all of the people that she shared this extra time with, it was with those two.
...
The entire trip in the cognitive world was silent and somber. Once everyone stepped foot in that square that housed the lone clock tower...no-one really said anything anymore. There was nothing left to say. All that was left...was to see this to the end.
And that end, Kasumi realized, was quickly approaching.
That realization made everything feel so...surreal. Like she was in one big dream, and couldn't wake up from it.
And for some reason, everything was kind of blurring together. Things were happening so quickly, that it was barely registering in her brain. Though she was aware of the things that were happening around her, it was like time had sped up, and she was simply just a spectator to it all.
Before she knew it, the clock face was already clearly in view. She barely noticed that the exterior was still ostentatiously decorated, or the fact that the clock tower still read '12:01', unable to tick over to that fated time.
Before she knew it, she was opening the large, ornate doors of the tower.
Before she knew it, she was climbing up the spiral stairs, one step at a time.
And before she knew it...she emerged on the top floor, where the treasure was, in seemingly no time at all.
...
The treasure room looked the same as when they had left it.
The past two times she had climbed to the top, the fatigue and exhaustion in her legs often protested at her, demanding that she sit down and take a break.
But this time, there was no such urge to do so.
This time, there was only one thing that she was fixated on.
The medal in the middle of the room floated effortlessly, unwavering, as if waiting for the day for someone to come and claim it for themselves.
And when her eyes landed on the treasure, on the secret of the world itself...the time that had been seemingly blinking on by instantly slowed - until it was like it came to a standstill.
'Oh right...this is it.'
Seeing the medal in the middle, shining indefinitely, made her realize the reality of the situation.
'This really will be the last time."
No more stargazing night hikes. No more eating breakfast with her parents. No more rooftop lunch meetups.
No more of...anything, really.
If she had any more doubts, any more second thoughts - this was the only time she had left for them to surface.
It really would be her last chance.
But as she continued to stare at the treasure...nothing came up.
Of course, there were still things that she wanted to do - things she wanted to see, experience, and live through. She wanted to grow, mature into a different person, and see who she would be in ten, twenty, and maybe even thirty years from now. She was only at the very young age of 15, after all.
But even still, she had no regrets.
She may have wanted those things, but she was content with the extra life she was given, and was more than happy to give those wishes to Sumire so that she could experience it for herself.
...So, without stopping, Kasumi resolutely walked up to the middle of the room, and touched the medal with her hand.
Instantly, like last time, she felt a large reverberation come from deep within her body, the power to change fates surging from within.
She would just have to steal the treasure, and it would all be over.
It was time to say goodbye to this world.
She took her hand off of the medal temporarily, and turned back around...to the two who had seen her journey to the very end.
"...Well...this is it," she said to both of them, breaking the silence. "I'll be going now - Ren, Morgana."
Ren nodded briefly, and gave a small, all-knowing smile.
"...Right. Off you go, then," he said empathetically.
Kasumi gave a nod back in response, happy that he had accompanied her to the end - but then all of a sudden, she started to hear some sniffling. She looked down, only to find Morgana trying to wipe away tears.
"Sniff...just go already, you idiot," he cried sadly, hiding behind his words. "I-I didn't want to live in this timeline anyway!"
Bending down, Kasumi gave Morgana a small and affectionate pat on the head.
"...Thanks for all of your help, Morgana," she replied. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to treat you to a sushi buffet, like I said."
"! I...I'm not forgiving you for that!" he shouted, full on tears streaming down his face by now. "Not until you treat me in the original timeline, you hear me?!"
"Hahah, that might be a little difficult...but I'll try my best," Kasumi laughed a little bit.
After patting Morgana a little bit more, she stood up and faced Ren, looking him directly in his eyes.
And upon seeing her own self reflected in his pupils...Kasumi's resolve wavered just the tiniest bit.
She saw the potential future that was reflected in those eyes that held her gaze.
For the briefest of moments, she saw her laughing with Ren while they were walking to school. She saw her enjoying a rollercoaster with him at Destinyland, and them relaxing at Inokashira Park while enjoying their weekly picnics.
She saw him holding her hand lovingly, and the various other things that they could've experienced together as their relationship blossomed…
"..."
...But it was only for a moment.
This wasn't the future that would come to be - only one that lived in her dreams.
"Thank you for everything, Ren-senpai."
...So instead, she simply held out a hand to him, with a warm smile that was content with what she had already experienced.
"..."
Ren took a look at the hand that was outstretched to him, and slowly lifted his hand to meet hers.
...But it quickly passed by her own hand, and before she knew it, Ren had taken a step forward - and brought her into a warm embrace.
"Goodness, what're we going to do with you?" he said knowingly. "You can be honest with yourself in times like these, you know?"
"!"
Embraced in a hug with Ren, with those words that pierced her defenses so...Kasumi could instantly feel herself tear up.
"What're you talking about, you...dummy…"
And with those simple words...the last of her restraint gave way and her tears dropped onto the floor, the feelings that she had desperately been trying to control released all at once.
...It was funny, in a way.
She had always gotten the better of him - that was something that she had always been secretly proud about.
But it seemed like at the very end, he had her completely beaten.
Yet, despite the overflow of emotions, there was a part of her that was happy.
This was one defeat that she would happily accept.
So, with this last loss from her, she slowly willed herself to push herself away from the embrace, a smile on her face nevertheless.
"You better not forget your promise!" she said to him, smiling. "If you don't, then history will repeat itself, and this timeline will be created all over again! If that happens, I'll be coming back to beat you up!"
"That would be pretty bad, wouldn't it? I certainly wouldn't want that," Ren smiled back. "...Don't worry - I'll fulfill my promise."
Kasumi nodded, glad that she could finally rely on a friend.
"...Thanks, Ren-senpai. Say hi to Sumire for me."
"I will. I'll see you on the other side, too. Even if it's your gravestone...I'll come visit."
"Heh - you better."
...With that final exchange of words, everything felt like it had truly been said. Kasumi took a step back, and upon receiving a knowing nod from both Ren and Morgana, turned her back to them and looked back at the medal.
Previously, she had only touched the treasure, and felt the power surge within her. But this time, without hesitation, she reached out...and grabbed the entire thing, pulling it out of its floating state.
Instantly, the medal began to glow, and she could feel the process beginning, unable to be stopped anymore.
She had done it - Sumire's desires had been stolen.
The medal began to glow brighter and brighter, until it enveloped the entire tower. At the same time, Kasumi instantly started to feel drowsy, and she fell down on the floor, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.
'So this is it, huh?' she thought. 'Never thought the end would feel so...sleepy.'
For a moment, she wondered what exactly would happen now that she had officially reverted the timeline. Would she just die instantly? Or would she get sent back to a time before her death?
Either way, it didn't really change Kasumi's preordained death. But if there was one last thing she wanted to do...it was back in the original timeline.
Oh well. There wasn't really any point in thinking about it. She would rather spend these last, listless thoughts reminiscing on the extra time she had…
It might've only been around two weeks, but looking back on it, just having that extra time felt like a miracle in and of itself. It was almost like a fairy tale...
'Hm? Wait...fairy tale…?'
Come to think of it, wasn't her Persona's name 'Cendrillion'?
'Fairy tale…Cendrillon...and this clock tower that awaited the fated hour. Don't tell me…'
And with the last of her consciousness, Kasumi willed her lips into a smile.
'So in Sumire's imagined world, I'm a princess, huh? Heh. ...How cliche.'
But still, if this was the role she was given she would see it through...to the end. She would depart at the apex of the hour, so that she could make way for the happily ever after.
The light got brighter and brighter, enveloping the entire tower, the square, and the surrounding scenery around it. It enveloped the stars in the heavens above, the lands on all four sides...until it enveloped the entire world.
And as the clock tower disappeared into the light, the minute hand ticked backwards one last time, and the clock struck midnight, its chimes echoing away into the silence.
…
...It was raining.
That was the first thing that Kasumi felt, as a drop of rain landed on her shoulder.
"Kasumi, you don't understand how I feel."
That was the first thing that Kasumi heard, amidst all of the other noises in the city.
And when Kasumi slowly opened her eyes...the first thing she saw was a flash of red run right by her.
Turning around, her eyes immediately honed in on the redhead who was running headfirst into the crowd.
It was Sumire.
The one that she had chased after for so long - and finally caught up to.
She had made it back. She was back in the original timeline.
And in this timeline, she had made it.
Today was April 4th. It was the day of the accident, and she had been brought back to right before her own death.
...Thank god.
She wasn't sure if she would've died immediately upon reverting the timeline, but it seemed like fate had smiled on her and given her this last opportunity.
Now she could make amends - she could finally make things right.
She started to run after her sister, who was weaving through the crowds of Shibuya, desperate to run away from her.
'Sorry, Sumire. You were right - I really didn't know how you felt before.'
Using her bright, crimson hair as a guide, Kasumi was able to locate Sumire amongst all of the other people, and keep up after her.
'...And I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner. Even now - I'm about to put you into a tough situation again. ...Heh. I'm a hopeless older sister, aren't I?'
Sumire had made it to the edge of the sidewalk. But despite the red light, she didn't stop, instead continuing to run out onto the road.
'...Sumire. I'm sure this entire thing will be hard - you'll suffer, and it'll seem like everything is lost. But I'm confident, with the strength of those around you, you'll be able to emerge out on the other side, stronger than ever before. One day, you'll be able to feel happy and content again - just as I have.'
On her right, Kasumi spotted the white truck that was coming into the intersection. Soon, he'll see Sumire, but be unable to fully brake, due to the rain.
She pushed past a couple of people as she made her way towards the edge of the sidewalk, ready to chase after her dumb, lovable sister.
But as she did so, she spotted a certain tuft of wispy hair, walking in the opposite direction and about to turn into a side road.
"!"
Instantly, it felt like time had slowed down to a crawl.
She looked to her right, to see a boy in his teens wearing a white shirt with a black coat, and casual blue jeans. He had wispy bangs that were swept to the right, and round glasses atop his nose.
'Ren-senpai…!'
...That's right. He was here during the time of the accident, wasn't he?
But this time, things seemed to be a little different. Since he was about to walk around the corner...he wouldn't be the first one to respond. He wouldn't be the one that would deliver the news in the hospital.
'Ah, I see...so that's how it is, huh?'
For a second, various thoughts passed by Kasumi's mind.
She wanted to tap him on the shoulder and get his attention. She wanted him to have him be there for Sumire at the very start. ...No, maybe that was a lie. Maybe she just wanted to hear his voice again, a fond reminder of the memories that she had made.
But…it seemed like his role would come at a later date.
Getting him involved now wouldn't do anything.
And besides - she still had one more thing that she had to do.
"But - there were a couple of moments from that accident that scarred her deeply. In particular, your horrified expression as you got hit by the truck."
...Yes. This was how she would end things.
From the start, from the very moment that she had resolved to come back to the old timeline - she had hoped that she would be able to right this wrong.
She couldn't change her own fate. She couldn't change the outcome of what was to come, and the events that would inevitably lead to her death.
But what she could change were her last moments - to see Sumire off with a reassuring and loving smile.
She may not have been able to change the fate of herself, but that didn't stop her from changing the fate of others. This, right here, the love that she had for her sister - would give Sumire, and this world, an entire new beginning.
"This time, things will be different," she said under her breath.
She looked at Ren one last time, before happily taking the last step in her journey.
'Ren-senpai...I'll leave the rest to you.'
With a smile on her face, Kasumi silently passed by him and ran out onto the road, her hand outstretched - pushing Sumire towards a new, hopeful future.
A/N: In Latin, the word 'Aevum' is a word that means 'infinite time', or a 'time that stretches on for infinity' - it's usually used to denote the time that passes on in Heaven, and in the stars above. When I first started writing, I found this word to be the perfect word to represent Kasumi's story. While Kasumi only experienced two, short weeks in the new timeline, it will be a time that will stretch on infinitely in its legacy. Those two weeks are forever immortalized not just in the stars, but in the original timeline that will forever be influenced by the actions and choices that she made.
As much as this is a story about Kasumi's final decision and sacrifice, this is also a story of the growth that Kasumi experiences throughout as well. In the beginning, she is an independent, slightly headstrong 15 year old who tries a little too hard to be grown up. But at the very end of the journey, she realizes that while there is much that she still wants to experience, the most important things are the people around her who she can laugh with, rely on, and ultimately be willing to sacrifice her life for. In many ways, the path that she undertakes - and the things she experiences along the way - are much more important than the final destination.
Speaking of which: I like to think of this story as one which happens parallel to the events in the main game, or even my other big Persona work, "A Dance Made for Two". In them, it may seem like Kasumi is simply the sacrificial catalyst for Sumire's growth and characterization; in many ways, she is, but I wanted to show that she was more than that - the story behind Kasumi's choices are one to be remembered. Only through the events in this story, and Kasumi's actions in them, was Sumire in the original timeline able to triumphantly overcome her demons. In particular, I like to believe that Kasumi's smile at the end, along with residual thoughts from this story's Ren influencing the Ren of the original timeline to help out Sumire, were the key things that made the true ending happen. Without them, Sumire's emergence from her despair would never have happened. Thus, this was Kasumi's gift to the world, thus changing fate forevermore.
At the very end, if you have reached this point, I would like to give you a huge thank you for seeing this story all the way through. It was definitely a little harder than my usual story to write, due to wanting to perfectly capture Kasumi's characterization the way that I envisioned it; in some ways, I feel like my perfectionism and passion for the subject matter sometimes made writing this story more difficult than it needed to be. On the reader's end, I'm sure it was not easy (what with my very long chapters and inconsistent posting schedules), so it genuinely makes me feel honored that you beared with me and read all that I have decided to write. For a writer, there is no greater honor than that.
From here, I'm not quite sure what the future will hold for me. Rarely do I find the inspiration to write, but I'm sure that one day, there will be another story that I will want to tell with my own words. While this may be the end of this chapter, it will only be the beginning of the next.
So, like Kasumi, I want to confidently give a smile to the future that we want to see for each other; and when that day comes - I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that our paths will cross again.